Since the landmark electoral verdict exactly a month ago on June 4th, Jagan Mohan Reddy had largely maintained a low profile, avoiding the media and public appearances. However, today he broke his silence by convening a press conference, notably from Nellore Central Jail where he had previously met with Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy.
In a surprising move, Jagan defended Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, currently jailed for allegedly destroying EVMs and assaulting an election agent. "When someone has been elected as an MLA four times, it speaks volumes about their character. Pinnelli is a good man who has been falsely implicated in fabricated cases," Jagan asserted, despite widely circulated videos showing Pinnelli allegedly involved in EVM destruction in Macherla, causing public concern.
The former CM accused the TDP government of orchestrating harassment using what he referred to as "red books." "Chandrababu has his red book, Lokesh has one, and every other TDP leader has one too. They are using these red books to target YCP leaders and supporters," Jagan claimed.
Jagan appeared to question the legitimacy of the election outcome, suggesting there was no genuine public backlash against the YCP. "It's possible that the people of Andhra Pradesh voted for Chandrababu based on false promises. Despite YCP's efforts for the people's welfare, we lost the election," he remarked.
He concluded with a strong warning directed at Chandrababu, hinting at potential repercussions: "If the culture of harassing YCP cadre and leaders persists, your party leaders and cadre may also face similar consequences in the future."